unwise

adjective

un·​wise ˌən-ˈwīz How to pronounce unwise (audio)
Synonyms of unwisenext
: lacking wisdom or good sense : foolish, imprudent
an unwise decision
unwisely adverb

Synonyms of unwise

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Examples of unwise in a Sentence

It would be unwise to buy a house now. made the unwise decision to invest in a brand-new company
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There is a desire for Forest to play with more intensity and higher up the pitch, but the new staff recognise that asking for too much change too quickly would be unwise. — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 28 July 2026 Needless to say, that would have been unwise for a city with a credit rating perched precariously just above junk status. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026 Somebody sat in the room where Paynter's oncology program died and agreed that unbillable was the same as unwise — and that person was not a spreadsheet. — Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026 Leading police experts say firing weapons at moving vehicles is unwise and generally against policy in law enforcement agencies nationwide. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unwise

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unwise was before the 12th century

Rhymes for unwise

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Browse Nearby Words

unwisdom
unwise
unwiseness
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Cite this Entry

“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwise. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unwise

adjective
un·​wise ˌən-ˈwīz How to pronounce unwise (audio)
ˈən-
: not wise : foolish
unwisely adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unwise

Nglish: Translation of unwise for Spanish Speakers

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